Alessandro Michele - Designer, Creative Director of Valentino

[Salvatore]

More like effortless tackiness...

I feel one has to make effort to be this tacky.

 

[vogue22]

Those red looks in the window are exquisite and scream Valentino. The look with the bustier - Need a red fox fur stole to match and a private equity Kickoff party to attend…

These are from the Valentino exhibit in Rome darling, not from the window displays.

 

[Nimsay]

Oh!

 

[GivenchyHomme]

The Gucci look was already out of style by the time he tried to revive it at Valentino. Unfortunately, the consumer has moved on. I actually think the clothes work; they are quite beautiful when you look at them individually. But the styling gimmicks strip away any real sophistication. It is hard for a potential customer to see herself in a Valentino dress when it is worn by, how do I say this nicely, a “quirky” model buried under accessories and layers. It ends up feeling like a costume party rather than a desirable offering. I want to see a glamorous Valentino. All the ingredients are there; they just need to be properly mixed.

 

[Xone]

The Gucci look was already out of style by the time he tried to revive it at Valentino. Unfortunately, the consumer has moved on. I actually think the clothes work; they are quite beautiful when you look at them individually. But the styling gimmicks strip away any real sophistication. It is hard for a potential customer to see herself in a Valentino dress when it is worn by, how do I say this nicely, a “quirky” model buried under accessories and layers. It ends up feeling like a costume party rather than a desirable offering. I want to see a glamorous Valentino. All the ingredients are there; they just need to be properly mixed.

I agree with you but the problem is Michele himself, he proved in the past he doesn’t change unless he wants to. And he is incapable to ser that. I can imagine it is his ego saying “this is your vision” blablabla…and honestly i dont know if the execs can make him change that.

Also Valentino needs better accesories, bags specially.

 

[Lola701]

The fact that Valentino is not showing Couture twice a year is so terrible knowing how much Haute Couture was such a pride for the house and it founder…

I hope the house will be able recover from Michele.

 

[fashionmarketeditor]

After the Viva Superstar and Nellcote, now it looks like they’re trying to make the Vain bag a thing

 

[oioioi]

After the Viva Superstar and Nellcote, now it looks like they’re trying to make the Vain bag a thing

I'm not a huge fan of Sharna Osborne's work anyway, but can understand it when it's for Martine Rose or ALL-IN. But when its for a more classic, conservative brand that is associated with materials, technique, 'luxury' (whatever that means these days), even with Michele there, the photography style really flattens the product.
I lost all sense of the leather and it doesn't make me want the bag, though that's also on the design..

 

[Lola701]

Etro has better bags than this.

 

[FashionPower]

What a flop, it's been one year and Lallo's bags are even less popular than Gucci monogram...
I don't think both Lallo and the suits were expecting this kind of reaction from the customers, it's like people stopped caring about Valentino as soon as the first Lallo cruise collection got released.
It's time for them to push the Viva Superstar right now, the original Book tote from Dior it's gonna get most likely discontinued by Jonathan and Lallo's version could turn into the luxurious / full leather / "non made in chinese sweatshops in Milan suburbs" (LOL) alternative.
The suede hobo with metal buckles and appliques is so hippie coded, kinda demodè...
The cringe collab with Vans and the "chat de la maison" capsule is not helping either.
What does Valentino Garavani himself think of the direction the brand is taking under Lallo?
Valentino and YSL are currently the top players facing big issues in the accessories department: at YSL you have Vaccarello not caring about bags and the suits pushing the low budget versions of the CHANEL timeless classic with the caviar leather and the gold Cassandre, at Valentino you have Lallo not releasing anything exciting: Vain is copied from Celine Triomphe, Viva Superstar is copied from Dior Book Tote, Nellcote is just plain ugly.

 

[plentyofhorns]

After the Viva Superstar and Nellcote, now it looks like they’re trying to make the Vain bag a thing

The bags are soooo tacky. The market is fickle and people have decided they do not like the V. Probably because they look like those Mario by Mario Valentino bags at Nordstrom rack lol

 

[style_expert]

I'm surprised by how much of a total flop his tenure seems so far.
It’s still too early to draw final conclusions, but the signs are everywhere: the products just aren't selling. A large portion of the SS25 menswear collection is already heavily discounted in the wholesale market, and even their own site has started markdowns.

I really think they need to drop the “V” altogether. Some of the more maximalist or embroidered bags could work well in certain markets, but the oversized logo is ruining the overall opulent effect.

You can never rule out a turnaround, but to be fair, come September/October, there will be so many "exciting" debuts that his Valentino will likely fade into the background — both commercially and, most likely, creatively as well.

 

[ellearchivist]

I feel like Alessandro just thought he would come in and do what worked at Gucci, but will he adapt his vision or will he just continue ploughing on until he gets the boot?

 

[tourbillions]

he is incapable to adapt to anything... he should have gone to goodwill.

 

[FashionPower]

I feel like Alessandro just thought he would come in and do what worked at Gucci, but will he adapt his vision or will he just continue ploughing on until he gets the boot?

I have no idea for how long he is contractually binded to Valentino (3 years contract like LVMH?), however there is no way he's gonna get renewed under these circumstances...unless Kering fully acquires the brand.
- The cruise show made us think already it was going to be a Gucci 2.0...and first impressions play a huge role in fashion
- The first RTW show left most of critics and public quite indifferent
- The couture show, even though I adored, felt like a Gucci love parade show on steroids to most people
- The latest RTW show was a complete mess from the venue to the collection inspiration to actual execution
- Accessories are not selling except for bow kitten heels slingbacks and lace stockings
- No brand impact on social media / PR with very weak celebs endorsements
Even Givenchy under Matthew Williams during COVID performed better than current Valentino...
If Kering finalizes the acquisition, Valentino will join a brand portofolio filled with weak / underperforming brands: YSL is struggling, Gucci might be doomed even with Demna, Bottega is a big question mark until Trotter shows something consistent...it's very unlike that the financial performance of the brand will improve in the next years and Lallo might be the least concerning of Kering's issues.

 

[Nimsay]

alessandro spilled his own tea by calling valentino small.

I thought a judge ruled that only Valentino Garavani Italia can use the V Logo. I expect them to use it even more now.

 

[FashionPower]

You know it's bad when the Loco bag designed by PPP is still their best seller.
It's like if, after one year the Dior book tote got released, the Diorama by Raf would still be the best seller.
I know it's a kind of far fetched analogy as the Diorama got discontinued as soon as Maria joined but I hope you got the message LOL
I would like to see Lallo's take on the rockstud though.

 

[Creative]

Super interesting to read you all… I find this chapter of Valentino really fascinating tbh. They thought it was going to be Gucci 2.0 in terms of success and it’s being Givenchy by *choose a designer after a Riccardo* or Calvin Klein by Raf.

Nothing seems to be working… It’s interesting to see how sometimes you can’t replicate the success, even if you do the exact same thing.

Withh Hedi it worked two times in a row… it’s true that Alessandro’s style is so tiresome and was already “burnt”after 3 years at Gucci… but still, fashion is a b!tch, haha.

They seem so desperate. The new bag looks quite PPPish.

So far we have two big flops after Gucci by SDS: Givenchy by SB and Valentino by AM.

I guess Celine by MR and BV by LT will be the next flops. Honestly, witnessing these flops is the only interesting thing in fashion these days. 😇

 

[Lola701]

Super interesting to read you all… I find this chapter of Valentino really fascinating tbh. They thought it was going to be Gucci 2.0 in terms of success and it’s being Givenchy by *choose a designer after a Riccardo* or Calvin Klein by Raf.

Nothing seems to be working… It’s interesting to see how sometimes you can’t replicate the success, even if you do the exact same thing.

Withh Hedi it worked two times in a row… it’s true that Alessandro’s style is so tiresome and was already “burnt”after 3 years at Gucci… but still, fashion is a b!tch, haha.

They seem so desperate. The new bag looks quite PPPish.

So far we have two big flops after Gucci by SDS: Givenchy by SB and Valentino by AM.

I guess Celine by MR and BV by LT will be the next flops. Honestly, witnessing these flops is the only interesting thing in fashion these days. 😇

Hedi didn’t work out directly at first.
The beginning actually looked like a flop but eventually with a great commercial strategy and some questionable collections, he managed to flip the script commercially and then from there he designed finally, collections that felt in-line with the spirit of Celine.

I think that if Hedi debuted Celine with a collection similar to his second or third Celine collection, it would have been an instant HIT. Unfortunately, he started with Celine, right where he left us with Saint Laurent.

And as I said in another conversation, what works for Hedi is that the ethos of his style or even his creative vision, are rather universal. It can work for many brands from Balmain to Givenchy.

With Michèle there’s a total rejection of lack of interest. His work works on his universe but so far, Valentino is someone else’s universe and instead to be a rather polite guest in someone’s house, he is coming over, trashing everything and somehow polluting that world.

It reminds me of the reboot of Brioni years ago. When that buyer/influencer wanted to force himself a little bit too much into someone else’s house.

So far, Burton is not a flop to me.
If we go by that metric, Hedi was a flop too.
I’m still waiting for the glimpse we had to fully develop. And I want to see the clothes irl, the website updated and all those things.

 

[PDFSD]

Hedi didn’t work out directly at first.
The beginning actually looked like a flop but eventually with a great commercial strategy and some questionable collections, he managed to flip the script commercially and then from there he designed finally, collections that felt in-line with the spirit of Celine.

I think that if Hedi debuted Celine with a collection similar to his second or third Celine collection, it would have been an instant HIT. Unfortunately, he started with Celine, right where he left us with Saint Laurent.

And as I said in another conversation, what works for Hedi is that the ethos of his style or even his creative vision, are rather universal. It can work for many brands from Balmain to Givenchy.

With Michèle there’s a total rejection of lack of interest. His work works on his universe but so far, Valentino is someone else’s universe and instead to be a rather polite guest in someone’s house, he is coming over, trashing everything and somehow polluting that world.

It reminds me of the reboot of Brioni years ago. When that buyer/influencer wanted to force himself a little bit too much into someone else’s house.

So far, Burton is not a flop to me.
If we go by that metric, Hedi was a flop too.
I’m still waiting for the glimpse we had to fully develop. And I want to see the clothes irl, the website updated and all those things.

I agree but on one detail !
Even if Hedi was commercially not an instant hit, it was not a total flop!!! as his direction was clear from day one with stores and Celine Introductory 2018 campaign and key bags that took time to catch on sure but it had an direction and point of view. (Sarah is clueless at MCqueen and also at Givenchy as good of technical designer she is she lacks an complete vision)

Also remember his YSL was still going well so it was not known Hedi even left YSL for most clients (non hedi fanatics).

Celine Introductory 2018 campaign was tone he set from day one till the end of his celine.